Chaplaincy

The healthcare chaplain is an integral member of the care team working in conjunction with physicians, nurses and other caregivers.

The Chaplaincy Services department provides emotional and spiritual support to patients, their families, hospital staff and volunteers. Our Chaplains work as part of the healing team with duties including: responding to crises; assisting persons in the resolution of ethical questions regarding patient care; contacting pastors, priests, rabbis or other religious representatives as requested; and providing ongoing spiritual and emotional support.

Chaplaincy Services Staff

Patients and their families, as well as staff, who need spiritual and emotional support, can turn to the Sentara Albemarle Medical Center Chaplaincy Services staff. Our team is a diverse group of spiritually mature and culturally competent professionals.

How to Contact a Chaplain

To speak with a chaplain, arrange a visit or request a spiritual caregiver of a particular faith tradition, please call 252-384-4125 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. On evenings, holidays or weekends, ask your nurse to contact a chaplain.

Requests and Consultations

Patients and families of all faiths can request a visit with a chaplain. Any member of the healthcare team can assist in setting up a consultation.

People call on chaplains for a number of reasons:

Apprehension about surgery

Loneliness and isolation

Discouragement and despair

Helplessness and hopelessness

Loss of meaning and purpose

Fear and anxiety

Conflict with others

Facing change and loss

Struggling with the meaning of life

Feeling cut off from God

Grappling with questions about life and death

Baptisms, blessings and naming ceremonies

When there is a miscarriage or stillbirth

When a patient is near death or has died

Needing the comfort of prayer or spiritual support

Support for changes in code status

Decisions regarding a living will or advance directives

Working through the loss of a loved one

Facing ethical dilemmas

Request for resources, such as Bibles, Rosaries, Sacred Texts or Shabbat candles

Wishing to receive Communion, the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Sacrament of the Sick

Hospital personnel needing pastoral guidance or counsel

Family members wishing a visit from a chaplain

Other types of spiritual care as needed

When a patient or family is having difficulty dealing with a diagnosis, prolonged illness or deterioration of the patient’s condition

Chaplains Provide Emotional and Spiritual Support

Chaplains listen with respect and without judgment.

Chaplains journey with patients, families and staff through grief and loss.

Chaplains facilitate debriefings after difficult events.

Chaplains provide partnership in prayer.

Chaplains offer comfort in times of distress and despair.

Sentara Albemarle Medical Center Chapel and Chaplain’s Office

If you need a quiet, meditative space, the Chapel is located on the first floor near the Main Lobby and is always open. The Chaplain’s Office is located inside the Chapel.

Spiritual Well Being

Spiritual Well Being is a concept which is multidimensional in nature, incorporating both existential and religious elements. The existential aspect focuses on purpose and meaning in life, while the religious aspect revolves around a person’s relationship or understanding of God or the sacred. The concept of Spiritual Well Being may be defined as “the affirmation of life in a relationship with God, and/or self, community and environment that nurtures and celebrates wholeness.”

Sentara respects the religious diversity of our patients and staff. We will try to accommodate any requests related to your religious beliefs to make your experience with us as comfortable as possible.